Are you a seasoned traveller but get bogged down each time by all that messily packed baggage?

Here are some tips to strike a balance in your packing escapades!

PACKING CLOTHES:

If you think you should be packing your clothes neatly by folding your clothes like you would do in your cupboard, you could be wrong. They will only crease more.

Instead, you could roll all your clothes, that is, put each piece face down, have the sleeves folded back and then the entire item gets rolled from the bottom.

Another way is for two pieces to be laid, one on top of the other, with the bottom over the other pair on the top. The other one should then be taken and folded onto the top. This will help the clothes crease less and give them some cushion so that there are less creases or wrinkles, especially in between the folds.

FOR DELICATE PACKING

For expensive and delicate clothes that need a lot of care tissue paper could be used. Place tissue paper on top of each item and roll it, with the tissue paper inside. Additional sheets of tissue paper can be placed in between each piece of clothing, to lessen the chance of creasing.

BOOKS PILED UP ARE A NO-NO

If you have books to carry, do not lay them, one on top of the other – instead, spread them across the bag, to avoid problems.

All of us are quick to complain about the service in a hotel – the food, the service, the accommodation…. But we should know about how important it is to be on good behavior ourselves too!

WHEN YOU ARRIVE: If you arrive at a hotel that offers valet or doorman service, drive up to the entrance of the hotel; leave the car keys in the ignition. The doorman of the hotel will remove your baggage from the trunk of the car so that the valet will be able to park the car. This way things will move quickly and other guests will not be held up.

If there is no valet parking you should drive your vehicle into the parking lot. Remove your luggage from the car and walk up to the reception. Never park right in front of the hotel as this is considered being rude to other guests.

WHEN CHECKING IN: It is rude to ask for checking yourself in. If the hotel clerk is busy on the phone or engaged with some task, do not intervene and pose a disturbance. The work he is doing must be important. Wait till you are attended to. Making loud noises or banging on the desk will not get you attention sooner. Wait patiently for your turn.

If there are people queued up in front of you, wait for your turn. It is discourteous to push your way forward, or to display a lack of patience.

Being rude or arrogant during a hotel stay will not earn you any brownie points, rather you will get onto the wrong side of the hotel staff, who will rather have you out of the hotel as fast as possible. It pays to be polite. It is important to be courteous!

Are you a seasoned traveler? Do you love visiting new places? Here are some must-dos’ for you to consider when you are in strange lands…

NO PAYMENTS ALL THE TIME

Some cities can be very expensive, and it would do you good to keep a look out for those attractions that are free. There could be museums, parks and other places of tourist interest that do not charge a hefty fee. Some ongoing festivals and events could be free too. Keep an eye out for these.

DO NOT CALL FOR A CAB

Moving around in a cab or taxi could prove to be very costly. Enquire at your hotel about the kinds of public transport available and try fitting in your travel plans into a schedule. Also, never take a taxi from the airport to your destination – instead ask for details of shuttle services or bus services. They will be cheaper.

MAKE BOOKINGS IN ADVANCE

Always look up venues for events in advance – shows usually sell out and eating places will be barred to you because you did not make reservations in advance. So it always pays to plan your events so that you do not face problems later. Many publications are available these days mentioning the places of interests and future events of a particular city.

TAKE A MAP ALONG

Never forget to take a map along – map-carrying is a tradition with travelers and even in today’s age of i-pods and smart phones they still work! Familiarize yourself with your surroundings and always get back to the map if you feel you are lost.

Navigating the nitty-gritty of travel, especially during winter, can be quite taxing! Getting to your destination with the least trouble and the maximum enjoyment is what every traveler wishes for!

Here are some tips to wade through the winter season:

TRY FLYING NON-STOP IF POSSIBLE: If you are travelling by air then winter usually hits flights, and airports hard. So try flying non-stop if possible. Try to get from Point A to Point B without having to go via Point C as a connection!

IF NON-STOP IS NOT POSSIBLE: If you have to fly with a connection and this is absolutely unavoidable, then keep an eye on the flight timings. If you do happen to miss your flight because of the bad weather, then it is best to let the flight attendant know in advance, so that the next flight could be arranged for you. Get off your first flight quickly!

TRY CHOOSING A MORNING FLIGHT: This is really advisable, because flights are less likely to be affected due to problems at other airports. Also, even if the flight is cancelled there are more chances for getting other flights, at least by the end of the day.

DO NOT WRAP YOUR GIFTS: If you are carrying gifts in your cargo, do not bother to wrap them; as security will anyways tear them apart to check your baggage. This way you will save precious time.

FOR ROAD TRAVEL: If you are traveling by road during the winter, keep your vehicle winter-ready before time; get your tires checked over by a mechanic, to prevent delays due to a flat.

EMERGENCY KIT: It pays to get an emergency kit ready – keep some extra clothes, gloves, coats, pair of old boots, a blanket, jumper cables, a flashlight and batteries etc. Keep some food and snacks too, just in case you have to stop for a long stretch on the road due to foggy weather or a winter storm.

It is imperative for hotels to understand what travelers who are on business expect from a best hotel.

THE BASICS MUST BE RIGHT

The basic ingredients that make a good hotel are of course, cleanliness and comfort – two crucial factors that are quite critical. However what does a business traveler look for in a hotel, over and above these?

WI FI : Travelers on business cannot do without Wi Fi so they are bound to check out if the Wi Fi of the hotel is good functionally or not.

PROXIMITY:It will not help a business traveler if the hotel is miles away from the area of work- proximity to the work or business area is very important. A visitor on business would not like to spend precious time in commuting to and fro everyday – time is of the essence, so it is important that the hotel is based close by.

FOOD: Imagine this. A visitor on business wakes up in the morning and finds that the hotel serves only lunch and not breakfast or dinner – so the guest will have to fend for himself! When you are on official work or business you are already rushed for time, so it is necessary for hotels to factor this in mind while catering to the business customer. Good food. Fast service. That’s what a business visitor would want!